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Developing Fluency—and Flexibility—on Spain Trip

February 28, 2018

Whether they’re ordering tapas at a local street market, socializing with their host families, or tracking lost luggage, students in Upper School’s Spanish 4 and 5 classes are finding plenty of opportunities to practice language and intercultural communication skills this week.

“Principia’s approach to experiential learning emphasizes hands-on opportunities for dynamic exploration, face-to-face contact with different peoples and cultures, and highly collaborative problem solving—both in and out of the classroom,” explains Principal of Student Life Charley Martin (C’96), who oversees the School’s experiential education and travel programming. “We provide experiential learning opportunities centered on developing students’ decision-making skills and ability to adapt and grow in unfamiliar situations as they experience a range of places, contexts, challenges, and opportunities.”

The fact that students are getting to do all of this in Málaga, Spain—one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities—is adding immeasurably to their understanding of the confluence of cultures and religions. Founded some 2,800 years ago by sea-faring Phoenicians from across the Mediterranean, Málaga was subsequently ruled for many centuries by the Roman Empire and then the Moors, before becoming part of modern-day Spain in the mid-15th century.

All 22 juniors and seniors enrolled in the advanced Spanish classes (for which they are obtaining college credit through a partnership with the University of Missouri-St. Louis) applied and were accepted for this optional trip. Although relatively far along in their language skills, they are having to stretch themselves in order to keep up with the rapid pace of conversation and day-to-day interactions with native speakers.

Grouped in pairs, the students are spending the entire week in local homes, where they join their host families for breakfast and dinner most days, sharing information about each other’s lives and activities. Each morning, the students make their way to a language school no more than 15 minutes away and spend four hours in language study with local instructors. “All the students passed the first test” on Monday, noted their trip blog. “They navigated the cobblestone streets, roundabouts, signage, and landmarks in an unfamiliar city.”

Afternoons have been filled with visits to places of historical and cultural interest—Pablo Picasso’s birthplace, the Alhambra, medieval fortresses such as the Alcazaba—as well as free time to explore the city and the beaches, for which this area is famous. Earlier today, the students—and their three chaperones, Spanish teacher Courtney Bradley, social studies teacher Don Sterrett (US’95), and Upper School Principal Christen Alford (C’88)—enjoyed a class in flamenco dancing. The owner of the language school, the Colegio Maravillas, praised the students’ readiness to jump in and take part, noting that “Principia students are so warm and open. They are so willing to engage and share about themselves.”